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“Early indications suggest a shortfall of provision in the town rather than a surplus,” said the officer adding that Sport England is a statutory consultee for any development which is likely to lead to the loss of use of land that has been used as a playing field at any time in the five years before the making an application.

Committee chair Margaret Walters asked for clarification on the developers insistance that the pitch had not been used as a playing field for five years.

The officer replied: “Other than the statement from the developer saying when the last organised game was played there, we don’t really have any evidence that it hasn’t been used as aplaying field since then.”

She added that the council considered the land as suitable for housing but, because it had not been possible to identify a replacement site for the pitch, the application had been recommended for refusal.